Tuesday, April 8, 2014

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The California Coastal Commission (CCC) will hear an appeal of the County Board of Supervisor’s approval of the Paradiso del Mare development project a half mile west of the Bacara Resort this Thursday, April 10. The project was approved by the Santa Barbara Planning Commission in November 2013. After an appeal by the Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC), Surfrider and other groups soon thereafter, the Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 to deny the appeal in early February.

On February 28, GCC, Surfrider, the Santa Barbara Chapter of Audubon and Peter Howorth filed an appeal with the Coastal Commission citing a failure of the project to conform with the standards in the County’s Local Coastal Program (LCP). Acting as attorney for the groups, attorney Marc Chytilo argued the LCP requires protection of environmentally sensitive habitats such as the Naples Seal Rookery, White-tailed kite habitat and public access to the beach.

According to the Commission Staff Report, which can be accessed on the CCC website, notes that evaluation of such an appeal requires that it raise “a substantial issue” as to the consistency or inconsistency of the County’s LCP, extent and scope of the development proposal, significance of the coastal resources affected by the decision, its potential for serving as a precedent for future interpretation of the LCP or whether the appeal raises only local issues or those of regional or statewide significance. In a 58-page document that included several hundred pages of appendices, the Commission Staff concluded “no substantial issue is raised with respect to the consistency of the approved development with the policies of the County’s certified LCP.”

Staff also noted, “In addition, the development is not extensive in scope given the large area of the parcel proposed to be retained in open space, the project is not expected have adverse impacts on significant coastal resources, the project is not likely to serve as a negative precedent for the County’s future interpretation of its LCP or the Gaviota Coast Plan given the unique site circumstances, and, although the appeal raises issues of statewide importance, the above analysis indicates that no substantial question regarding policy consistency exists based on the project components and unique site circumstances.”

In a telephone interview with me yesterday, Chytilo strongly disagreed with the Staff recommendation to deny the appeal. “We believe there were important coastal resources at issue here, including the seal rookery, the kite habitat and public access to the beach, Chytilo said. “The key issue is whether there are conflicts between the Coastal Act and our Local Coastal Program. We think they [Staff] got it wrong.”

Though typically the Coastal Commission doesn’t override its Staff’s recommendations, Chytilo pointed out that the Commission composition continues to change and “you never know” how they will decide this.

The CCC meeting will be held at the Hyatt Hotel located at 1111 E. Cabrillo Boulevard beginning at 8:30am. The Paradiso appeal more-than-likely will not be heard until the afternoon. While the Staff recommendation was not encouraging, Chytilo is urging community members to attend the meeting and let the Commission know there is solid opposition to the development proposal.

Comments

I really hope the CCC grows a pair and starts doing It's job: safeguarding the beach for the public instead of letting #$%#@bags with $$ continually trying to make it their own private Idaho and reducing access. Speaking of which why don't they move to Idaho? You know our buddy Craig McCaw, yup you guessed it, Wendy's EX is watching this with baited breath because he will be up next with some crazy project for the next mcmansion on the coast.

While were on the the topic of the Coastal Commsssion: why is the public hearing for a resort to be built in Montrerey being held in Santa Barbara? Turns out not a lot of people in Montrerey are excited about this development.. isn't there a clause that such hearings be made accessible and in the region of impact?

Indeed at large, it was very SMALL of me to spell it that way. Gosh darn spell checker! Lets move on, shall we?

If the other two McMansions go up, then good old Craig -I love to fund my Ex Wive's newspaper destruction hobby- McCaw would probably look at that as a green light for his over the top chateau. Of course this would totally include armed guards staring you down at the beach... just a step up from the machete wielding jacka$$es that currently "patrol" the properties.